ORCID Profile
0000-0003-3402-2016
Current Organisation
University of Zurich
Does something not look right? The information on this page has been harvested from data sources that may not be up to date. We continue to work with information providers to improve coverage and quality. To report an issue, use the Feedback Form.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 13-09-2013
DOI: 10.1021/OM400715M
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-05-2014
Abstract: Despite the extensive use of porphyrins in photodynamic therapy (PDT), tetraplatinated porphyrins have so far not been studied for their anticancer properties. Herein, we report the synthesis of such novel platinum-porphyrin conjugates as well as their photophysical characterization and in vitro light-induced anticancer properties. These conjugates showed only minor cytotoxicity in the dark, but IC50 values down to 19 nM upon irradiation with light at 420 nm.These values correspond to an excellent phototoxic index (PI=IC50 in the dark/IC50 in light), which reached 5000 in a cisplatin-resistant cell line. After incubation with HeLa cells, nuclear Pt concentrations were 30 times higher than with cisplatin. All of these favorable characteristics imply that tetraplatinated porphyrin complexes are worthy of exploration as novel PDT anticancer agents in vivo.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 26-03-2014
DOI: 10.1021/IC403169Z
Abstract: A novel synthetic pathway for trifluoromethylthioferrocene (3), which does not involve the use of toxic mercury(II)-based reagents, is described. The novel approach involves first the treatment of the commercially available bromoferrocene (1a) with NaSCN in the presence of copper(+I) to yield thiocyanatoferrocene (1), and then the reaction of 1 with the Rupper-Prakash reagent and tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF) to give 3 in an overall yield of 60%. This approach could be extended for the preparation of thiocyanato-(4) and trifluoromethylthio-ruthenocene (7), which are herein both reported for the first time. Interestingly, diferrocenyl disulfide (2a) and diruthenocenyl disulfide (5) could be isolated as side-products during the synthesis of 3 and 7, respectively. All new compounds were unambiguously characterized by (1)H, (13)C, and (19)F NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry, elemental analysis, as well by X-ray crystallography for 1, 4, 4b, 5, 6, and 7. 1-7 were further tested for their toxic activity on cervical cancer (HeLa) and noncancerous (MRC-5) cell lines. All organometallic compounds were found either to be nontoxic or to have a moderate toxicity toward the cell lines used in this study.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 08-09-2016
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.INORGCHEM.6B01503
Abstract: The self-exchange kinetics of CO ligands in the solvated forms of the commonly used complex [MBr3(CO)3](2-) (M = Re, (99)Tc) were investigated in-depth by (13)C NMR spectroscopy in organic solvents such as dimethylformamide and methanol. The two homologues exhibit surprisingly different chemical behavior. In the case of rhenium, the stable intermediate [NEt4][ReBr2(CO)4] was isolated and characterized by (13)C NMR and IR spectroscopy as well as by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. For technetium, no such intermediate could be identified. The activation parameters (ΔH(⧧) = 110 ± 7 kJ mol(-1) and ΔS(⧧) = 127 ± 22 J mol(-1) K(-1)) and the observed influences of different ligands and solvents suggest a dissociative-interchange-type mechanism with a second-order rate constant for the formation of [NEt4][ReBr2(CO)4], k1 = 0.039 ± 0.001 M(-1) s(-1) at 274 K. On the basis of variable-temperature NMR experiments, kinetic simulations, and density functional theory calculations, a complete model for the CO self-exchange, including all respective rate constants, is reported.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-10-2013
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-01-2014
Abstract: The photophysical properties of [Re(CO)3 (L-N3)]Br (L-N3 =2-azido-N,N-bis[(quinolin-2-yl)methyl]ethanamine), which could not be localized in cancer cells by fluorescence microscopy, have been revisited in order to evaluate its use as a luminescent probe in a biological environment. The Re(I) complex displays concentration-dependent residual fluorescence besides the expected phosphorescence, and the nature of the emitting excited states have been evaluated by DFT and time-dependent (TD) DFT methods. The results show that fluorescence occurs from a (1) LC/MLCT state, whereas phosphorescence mainly stems from a (3) LC state, in contrast to previous assignments. We found that our luminescent probe, [Re(CO)3 (L-N3)]Br, exhibits an interesting cytotoxic activity in the low micromolar range in various cancer cell lines. Several biochemical assays were performed to unveil the cytotoxic mechanism of the organometallic Re(I) bisquinoline complex. [Re(CO)3 (L-N3)]Br was found to be stable in human plasma indicating that [Re(CO)3 (L-N3)]Br itself and not a decomposition product is responsible for the observed cytotoxicity. Addition of [Re(CO)3 (L-N3)]Br to MCF-7 breast cancer cells grown on a biosensor chip micro-bioreactor immediately led to reduced cellular respiration and increased glycolysis, indicating a large shift in cellular metabolism and inhibition of mitochondrial activity. Further analysis of respiration of isolated mitochondria clearly showed that mitochondrial respiratory activity was a direct target of [Re(CO)3 (L-N3)]Br and involved two modes of action, namely increased respiration at lower concentrations, potentially through increased proton transport through the inner mitochondrial membrane, and efficient blocking of respiration at higher concentrations. Thus, we believe that the direct targeting of mitochondria in cells by [Re(CO)3 (L-N3)]Br is responsible for the anticancer activity.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 18-07-2017
DOI: 10.1021/ACSINFECDIS.7B00054
Abstract: Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that affects more than 250 million people annually, mostly children in poor, tropical, rural areas. Only one treatment (praziquantel) is available, putting control efforts at risk should resistance occur. In pursuit of treatment alternatives, we derivatized an old antischistosomal agent, oxamniquine (OXA). Four organometallic derivatives of OXA were synthesized and tested against Schistosoma mansoni in vitro and in vivo. Of these, a ferrocenyl derivative, 1, killed larval and adult worms 24 h postexposure in vitro, in contrast to OXA, which lacks in vitro activity against adult worms. A dose of 200 mg/kg of 1 completely eliminated the worm burden in mice. Subsequently, a ruthenocenyl (5) and a benzyl derivative (6) of OXA were synthesized to probe the importance of the ferrocenyl group in 1. Compounds 1, 5, and 6 were lethal to both S. mansoni and S. haematobium adults in vitro. In vivo, at 100 mg/kg, all three compounds revealed S. mansoni worm burden reductions of 76 to 93%, commensurate with OXA. Our findings present three compounds with activity against S. mansoni in vitro, comparable activity in vivo, and high activity against S. haematobium in vitro. These compounds may possess a different binding mode or mode of action compared to OXA and present excellent starting points for further SAR studies.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2012
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-01-2013
Abstract: The antischistosomal effect of two [(η(6)-praziquantel)Cr(CO)(3)] derivatives was investigated. The compounds (see figure: Cr purple, N blue, O red) were prepared in a one-step procedure from commercially available praziquantel. Both derivatives show a high in vitro activity against Schistosoma mansoni, a parasitic trematode, and only a minor cytotoxic effect on selected mammalian cell lines.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-11-2014
Abstract: Novel photoactive (metallo)porphyrins were synthesised and characterised. When irradiated with light at a wavelength greater than 600 nm, these porphyrins act as photosensitisers and show high cytotoxicity towards two different human cancer cell lines with IC50 values down to 0.4 μM. A paramagnetic copper(II) porphyrin is the first photosensitiser to display excellent phototoxicity, explained by the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin trapping of hydroxy radicals and experimentally confirmed by the discovery of elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) inside A2780 cells after irradiation with red light. This finding indicates that paramagnetic compounds should be considered for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Furthermore, an additive effect of cisplatin and a zinc porphyrin, both at subtherapeutic concentrations of 0.22 μM, was observed.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 14-03-2020
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.9B13620
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2009
DOI: 10.1039/B902077B
Abstract: A family of novel lanthanoid-containing polytungstoarsenate(iii) polyanions with interesting structural features has been isolated: six lacunary {alpha-AsW(9)O(33)} building blocks comprising unusual pyramidal WO(5) units are templated by a caesium cation in a central cavity of the structure.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 21-09-2016
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.1039/D0CC05196A
Abstract: Transplatin-modification of photosensitizers improves their phototoxic index without increasing their dark toxicity.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 10-10-2012
DOI: 10.1021/JM301077M
Abstract: The design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 18 ferrocenyl derivatives (4A-12A and 4B-12B) of the most well-known drug against schistosomiasis, namely praziquantel (PZQ), are reported. These compounds, which have been all isolated as racemates, were unambiguously characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis as well as by X-ray crystallography for 4A, 5A, and 7A. Cytotoxicity studies revealed that the complexes were moderately toxic toward a cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) and, importantly, significantly less active toward a noncancerous cell line (MRC-5). The in vitro anthelmintic activity of the 18 ferrocenyl PZQ derivatives was tested against adult Schistosoma mansoni, and values in the micromolar range (26-68 μM) were determined for the four most active compounds. It was also demonstrated using two compounds of the series as models (8A and 8B) that the complexes were stable when incubated for 24 h at 37 °C in human plasma.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-04-2020
Abstract: Inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) is considered as a diagnostic marker for various diseases such as cancer and vascular calcification. PPi also plays an important preservative role as an additive E450 in foodstuff. In this work, a selective Fe
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 06-10-2015
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.INORGCHEM.5B01332
Abstract: Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-activated aminoferrocene-based anticancer prodrug candidates successfully take advantage of intrinsically high amounts of ROS in tumor tissues. Interestingly, the ROS-initiated activation of these prodrug candidates leads to formation of unstable aminoferrocene (Fc-NH2) derivatives, which decay to iron ions. The latter catalytically increases ROS concentration to a lethal level. In this work, we prepared light-controlled aminoferrocene prodrug candidates by derivatizing Fc-NH2 with an o-nitrophenyl and an o-nitrobiphenyl photolabile protecting group (PLPG), respectively, and by further conjugation to a mitochondria localization signal (MLS) peptide (Cys-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH2). The resulting bioconjugates were found to be more stable and less cytotoxic, in the dark, toward human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60) compared to Fc-NH2. Upon light irradiation at 355 nm, both conjugates released Fc-NH2, albeit with very different photolysis quantum yields. The o-nitrobiphenyl photocage was in fact several orders of magnitude more efficient than the o-nitrophenyl photocage in releasing Fc-NH2. This difference was reflected by the light irradiation experiments on the HL-60 cell line, in which aminoferrocene conjugated with the o-nitrobiphenyl cage and the MLS displayed the highest phototoxicity index (2.5 ± 0.4) of all the compounds tested. The iron release assays confirmed the rise in iron ion concentrations upon light irradiation of both caged aminoferrocene derivatives. Together with the absence of phototoxicity on the nonmalignant hTERT-immortalized retinal pigment epithelial (hTERT RPE-1) cell line, these results indicate catalytic generation of ROS as possible mode of action.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-09-2014
Abstract: Six substitutionally inert [Ru(II) (bipy)2 dppz](2+) derivatives (bipy=2,2'-bipyridine, dppz=dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine) bearing different functional groups on the dppz ligand [NH2 (1), OMe (2), OAc (3), OH (4), CH2 OH (5), CH2 Cl (6)] were synthesized and studied as potential photosensitizers (PSs) in photodynamic therapy (PDT). As also confirmed by DFT calculations, all complexes showed promising (1) O2 production quantum yields, well comparable with PSs available on the market. They can also efficiently intercalate into the DNA double helix, which is of high interest in view of DNA targeting. The cellular localization and uptake quantification of 1-6 were assessed by confocal microscopy and high-resolution continuum source atomic absorption spectrometry. Compound 1, and especially 2, showed very good uptake in cervical cancer cells (HeLa) with preferential nuclear accumulation. None of the compounds studied was found to be cytotoxic in the dark on both HeLa cells and, interestingly, on noncancerous MRC-5 cells (IC50 >100 μM). However, 1 and 2 showed very promising behavior with an increment of about 150 and 42 times, respectively, in their cytotoxicities upon light illumination at 420 nm in addition to a very good human plasma stability. As anticipated, the preferential nuclear accumulation of 1 and 2 and their very high DNA binding affinity resulted in very efficient DNA photocleavage, suggesting a DNA-based mode of phototoxic action.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 20-12-2019
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.INORGCHEM.9B02934
Abstract: A bimacrocyclic luminescent terbium(III) sensor is reported for the selective "turn-off" detection of Cu
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1039/C6DT03376H
Abstract: Ferrocenyl and ruthenocenyl analogues of the nematocidal drug monepantel show organometallic-dependent activity against Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis .
No related grants have been discovered for Bernhard Spingler.